Immune to the Illusions
by KamiGory
Summary: Nazo is revived once again, but this time he's in a world where towns and cities are ruled by the Eggman Empire. Sonic and pals are nowhere to be found, save for a dashingly powerful figure named Infinite. Will they be rivals, or partners in crime? Read for some not-so-subtle gay subtext, as well as tons of risqué villainous love.
1. Chapter 1

**Immune to the Illusions: Chapter 1**

Not this again, the hedgehog thought.

Here he was, standing next to the emerald he had risen from.

His pale blue quills rustled with the breeze, green eyes scanning the area.

Something was amiss. The Guardian wasn't around to defend the Master Emerald.

...Where was the emerald?

The entity turned his head, taking off and flying to try and find the source of ultimate energy.

After a quick, thorough search, he flew high into the sky, squinting to see if he could get a better view of the island from above.

It turns out he wasn't on Angel Island at all. He was in the outskirts of a ruined city, one that was overrun by what seemed to be robot enforcers.

He stealthily flew down towards the metropolis, hiding behind buildings where he would go unnoticed. The entity promptly recognized the logo on each system.

It belonged to none other than Doctor Eggman.

Oddly enough, the old man's forces were winning.

The hedgehog rubbed his temples, a furious snarl on his face. How was this pathetic excuse for an opponent taking over a city with such ease? How was he destroying the rebelling army?

After further analyzation of the carnage below, it finally struck him.

Sonic nor his allies were in the fight. A competent bunch of fighters, but none strong enough to truly be able to defeat the robots.

The being lowered himself onto the roof of a smaller tower, sitting on the edge and watching the fight.

He felt the urge to destroy the currently winning team himself and be regarded as a savior, only to turn on those praising him by killing them off as well.

He smirked cruelly at the idea, absentmindedly kicking his legs and chuckling.

They won't stand a chance, he thought. They should be thankful I'm too entertained by the battle to exterminate them.

As time went on, the rebels fell back, many of them bruised and battered from the tough fight.

Various robots were damaged beyond repair, but others were still "alive" and kicking.

The hedgehog found it quite amusing.

The battle had finally concluded. Soon bored by the lack of visual stimuli, he stood up, dusting off his legs for a moment before freezing.

He heard a piercing, almost metallic sort of sound coming from behind.

He whipped his head to look at the source, an aggravated scowl on his muzzle.

A masked mobian with long, flowing white hair appeared before him. There was a large red gem placed on his chest that almost seemed like an emerald.

However, Nazo couldn't sense its energy. Disappointingly enough, it wasn't exactly something he could use for himself.

"Pray tell, what are you doing here, hedgehog?" the newcomer growled lowly, subconsciously pushing his mask back. He scrutinized the deity with his golden eye, their immense power striking both fear and excitement in him. The doctor would love a soldier with this much strength, he thought.

Upon being questioned, the other replied.

"It is none of your business." He crossed his arms, scowling at the nosy jackal. "Leave me to myself before I am forced to take action against you."

"Tch." The canine ignored their demands, instead choosing to slowly approach them. His steps nearly echoed, his own overwhelming presence leaving the pale hedgehog perturbed.

"I can taste your apprehension, your fear." He smirked beneath the mask, leaning closer to their ear. They were tall enough to tower over him, and yet, they were frozen stiff from his hypnotic tone.

"Ohoho, it's simply delicious. Tell me, what is your name?" He pried.

"...Nazo." They responded, not daring to glance at the jackal to their right. Nazo was hesitant with his response, though he remembered he initially didn't want to tell them anything.

What were they doing to him?

"Nazo….I will remember your name and face. Now, do tell. What were you doing?"

"I was simply spectating." He quietly swallowed. The metallic noise was heard again, giving the hedgehog a slight headache.

"I saw the destruction and was drawn to it, but chose not to participate."

He could feel his hands getting clammy, the fabric of his gloves becoming almost unbearable. He was so busy staring off into space that he was oblivious to his surroundings changing. He was backed up against a wall, his ankles and arms bound to it.

"And, what exactly is your name?" The hedgehog managed to mumble in his stunned state.

Their masked face only got closer, a gleam of intimidation in his eye. His thick tail gave a swish, the jackal audibly chuckling while he spoke. "Heheh. I am Infinite, the most powerful individual you will ever face."

Nazo bit his lip. Was this being really the most powerful? There was no possible way!

The only person that had struck this much fear into him was Shadic, but even then he was able to fight back.

Here, he felt cornered, chained to the ground, unable to think of a way to escape.

….Impossible!

"Let me go, Infinite." He snarled upon realizing that he had been fooled into feeling something that wasn't real.

He yanked away at his surprisingly realistic binds, ripping them off with ease. "You cannot trick me!"

The jackal was impressed, though he still wanted to gain the upper hand in this volatile situation.

His immediate reaction was to grab the hedgehog by the chin, claws just barely piercing their flesh. "Relax," he murmured, "I won't hurt you. You're quite the interesting specimen."

They let out a feral growl, though they didn't struggle or tear his hand away. Infinite seemed true to his word, doing nothing other than attempting to pacify his possible new ally.

"You're a force of nature." He continued with an entertained croon, letting go of them. "An admirable and ideal trait in a warrior."

At this, Nazo raised an eyebrow. He was no warrior! He was a conqueror, destined to become the true ultimate life form, unlike Shadow the hedgehog.

His brows furrowed, a soft hiss in his tone. "I do not work for anyone. I am not owned."

"And who said anyone would own you?" Infinite howled with laughter. "You cannot be tamed so easily, nor can you be tied down for that matter."

His voice was quite alluring, but that aspect was outweighed by the threatening implications his words had.

Nazo analyzed what they said. They saw his unwillingness to work with them as a challenge.

They saw it as one that they would fight tooth and nail to win. Their misplaced confidence was adorable.

He grinned, leaning back and crossing his arms. "I wish you luck on your quest, Infinite. Your silly charms and mirages do not work on me. Come find me when you've gained enough strength to properly fight me!"

Nazo moved his left arm back, smacking their mask with a backhanded slap. The mask dug into Infinite's face, causing him to roar.

While he was distracted with adjusting the disguise, Nazo used chaos control to teleport to the real Angel Island.

The jackal knew he had failed miserably, sinking to the floor and howling.

"I'M NOT WEAK!"

To him, they were charms? Infinite pondered, his shoes clacking as he sauntered along the metallic corridor of the egg base. His rage had long since subsided, instead becoming replaced with interest.

He had to tell the doctor about what had happened. Someone with so much strength couldn't be left unchecked, especially in a world where everyone was out to get them in the struggle to be freed from their reins.

He darted through the halls, head swiveling left and right to peek into each room to check if Eggman was in them. Once he was assured that the man wasn't where he thought they were, he followed the path that had been ingrained into his memory.

He trekked down a large flight of stairs and ladders, soon finding himself in front of an iron laboratory door.  
He inputted a series of numbers on a PIN pad to the right. It granted access to him after a camera recognized his face.

Infinite tapped his foot, arms crossing as he waited for the agonizingly slow door to open. As soon as it was wide enough for him to fit, he ran through, skidding to a stop at yet another security door. He sighed and rolled his eyes, focusing on a pad that seemed to be a sort of scanner. He took off his glove, practically slapping his hand onto it.  
A green light moved up and down, confirming that he was a familiar and was allowed to go in.

He grumbled to himself, annoyed with the amount of security the doctor had. What if he needed to escape the lab in case of a fire or some other disaster? He realized that they would only get in the way. He'd need to talk about that with his superior too.

He looked side to side, scanning the parts of the massive room he was able to see. At this point, he was left scratching his head. Where was the doctor?

"Doctor Eggman?" The jackal called, gingerly pacing forward. "Over here, Infinite!" The familiar voice called from afar, a tad muffled.

He eagerly bounded towards the source, only to be blocked by a thick steel door. At least this one didn't need any sort of verification.

He heaved one of them to the right, huffing from how heavy it was. He almost didn't bother closing it once he entered, though his guardian urged him to.  
"So, how did the invasion go?"

The latter asked, looking up from what he was working on. He wiped sweat off his brows with a handkerchief, setting it on the edge of his workspace table

In the middle was a diamond shaped piece, complete with wires and circuits. Behind the doctor's table was a desk/shelf attached to the wall, three monitors sitting on it side by side. Each screen had lines filled with complex code, connected by one small wire to a tiny metal piece on the diamond.

It glowed just a tad, emitting a soft light.

"It went well, your forces took down those measly freedom fighters. A few robots couldn't be returned." He informed.

"Excellent!" His superior grinned, brimming with joy at the victory. "I knew they would be strong enough!" He began to polish the hard side of the diamond, his eyes on the jackal.

Infinite nodded along, gently tapping his mask with a claw.

"Doctor, there was also something I believe you should know about. When I finished supervising the battle, I found a light blue hedgehog sitting on top of a tower. He was incredibly powerful, possibly rivaling the strength of Super Sonic!"

At this, Eggman stopped working completely. He set down the object on the table, face scrunching up out of both piqued curiosity and wariness. "He sounds….familiar. Go on."

They obeyed the instruction. "His name is Nazo. I attempted to force him into subordination, but he seemed to be immune to my illusions. Although, it may have been my fault I made it obvious." He began to ramble, his franticness thinly veiled.

"No, every time I change reality in front of people's faces, they still fall for it! Seeing is believing, but what is it about him that allows him to see through it all?"

It could have been that he was simply smarter than most. Or, there was more to him that met the eye.

"Don't forget to breathe," Eggman muttered, then continued normally. "What else was there that could've indicated his strength?"

"Well," they began once again, "He had a sort of energy to him. It was similar to that of the Chaos Emeralds'..." He pointed at an emerald that lay unattended on the desk near the diamond.

This made the doctor beam, a wicked smile on his face. "Oh, really? Do tell me more!"

"He hit my face." The jackal spoke flatly. "Though, I forced him to stay calm with my words and voice." He puffed up his chest a bit, sticking his snout into the air. "I managed to keep him in his place without violence."

"...Until he hit you? Or did that happen before you soothed him?" Eggman snarkily replied with a laugh.

The smaller one angrily huffed, crossing his arms and looking off to the side. "After. Then, he teleported using what I believe is Chaos Control."

The doctor nearly fainted from how enthusiastic he was. "Hah! It's almost like another Shadow, but better!"

He dusted his gloves off, rubbing his palms against each other to further rid of any residue. "So you think you'll be able to convince him to join the Eggman Empire?"

"Absolutely, sir." Infinite responded with a nod. He turned around to leave, sliding open the door. "I will make sure he becomes one of us, no matter what it takes. I promise you."  
Eggman gave him a grunt of approval, dismissing him so he could return to work on his latest project.

He hunched over to grab a wire, only to look up at the canine when he spoke.

"Oh, and by the way, your immense security measures will be your downfall if any kind of emergency occurs. These heavy doors are no help either. You should fix them for your own sake."

With that, Infinite walked out and closed the door, sneering to himself.

He took off the mask, examining it and softly tracing over it with his claws.  
There was a grueling game to be played, and he would be the one to come out on top.


	2. Chapter 2

**Immune to the Illusions:  
Chapter 2**

All was well on Angel Island. It resided high up in the sky, elegantly hanging above the ocean like so.

Due to this, Nazo deduced that the Master Emerald still must have been on its altar.

He didn't teleport directly to the emerald's site since he wasn't strong enough to do it with ease, pouting to himself. _I should have searched for an emerald to bring with me…but that no longer matters. Once I take that rock's energy I will be granted all the power I want!_

The thought of power made his smile return in less than a nanosecond. He clenched his fist, imagining what it would be like to live the rest of his life in his perfect form, regarded as nothing less than a god. His thoughts raged on, an eerie smile on his muzzle as he hovered around and zipped from point to point.

He snapped out of his thoughts once he recognized a certain area. His heart beat faster and faster, excitement welling up in his chest.

 _This is it. My time has come!_ The hedgehog couldn't help but chuckle to himself. This was too easy, even for him.

Nazo was oblivious to the red flags. He ignored his doubts, choosing to build up his giddiness and anticipation.

He slowed down to a halt, his eyes widening at the glorious sight in front of him.

Laying on the altar was the Master Emerald, shimmering brightly. It almost seemed to call his name, echoing throughout the land.

He obeyed, his mind fleeting.

It didn't occur to him that Knuckles was nowhere to be found.

It didn't occur to him that this could have been set up.

It didn't occur to him that Eggman would have taken the Master Emerald for himself already if it were this effortless to obtain.

Needless to say, he would never feel more livid in his life than the moment he attempted to absorb the Emerald's power. His gloved hand hovered over the gem, attempting to concentrate its energy.

Nothing happened.

 _No, it can't be…_

With a huff, Nazo retracted his arm. He tried again, this time using both hands to sap the Chaos energy he was desperate for. Rather than charging him up immensely, it did nothing. It simply sat there, looking tantalizingly pretty.

He threw his head back, fingers massaging his temples. This wasn't happening to him. It was a joke, and he took the bait.

...or so he thought. Nazo forced himself to relax, deeply breathing and focusing on sensing Chaos energy. He could have sworn he felt _something_ , but alas.

The emerald wasn't giving off any kind of energy. It was no more than what he had always referred to it.

A rock.

After letting out an enraged, ear-splitting shriek, he collapsed onto the stone floor, hands covering his face.

 _This is fine. Fine! I don't need that much energy yet, but what the_ hell _happened to the emerald? And...where is the guardian?_

He sat up, resting his chin in his palms.

The entity sat there, pondering the possible reasons why the emerald wasn't functioning properly.

Little did he know that a small camera was mounted on one of the pillars. It watched his every move, recording audio with a separate device.

Watching him through a screen beneath the altar was none other than Tails. Beside him was a reddish-orange wolf holding a phantom ruby prototype.

It was the rookie that maintained the illusion of angel island. Its purpose was to collect information on members of the Eggman Empire and use it to their advantage.

The wolf squinted at Nazo, uncertain if they were a relative of Silver or Sonic, or perhaps both.

Tails, on the other hand, felt his blood freeze.

He could never forget the face of the merciless villain that left him standing at death's door.

The rookie sensed his terror. They put a hand on his shoulder, the fox jolting from the unexpected touch.

"Eheh, I'm…fine. I'm fine." Tails mumbled when faced with their consternation. "We'll talk about it later. Right now we have to focus on _him_."

He swallowed the lump in his throat, focusing on the display before him. The fact that he was hidden away from the hedgehog provided him some relief, albeit very little. If Nazo found the secret entrance on the altar, he and the rookie would meet their end.

The latter couldn't share his anxiety. They had no idea who the menacing entity was.

Tails considered them lucky, hoping that they would never have to meet the enemy face-to-face.

With a weary sigh, he returned to the video feed at hand.

 **I sat there for what seemed to be hours. It was difficult, wrapping my head and thoughts around my predicament. The Master Emerald, sitting before me, powerless. If someone else had absorbed its power, the island wouldn't be floating.  
My ears flattened against my head, the corners of my lips twitching until I began to snarl to myself. None of this was real. Or, rather, it **_**couldn't**_ **be.**

 **Instead of focusing on the topic at hand, my thoughts swept to my earlier encounter with that brooding dog. His way of speaking was quite exquisite. I...Cannot be dishonest with myself when I remember how I felt, nor can I deny that he had me wrapped around his thumb.  
And it was all because of his voice.  
I began to growl to myself, my cheeks hotter than the ferocious heat of the sun on that day.  
It then occurred to me, it should not have been so hot.  
...Maybe it was just my own idiotic emotions behaving in a way they shouldn't have.  
At that thought, my face only became even more flushed. It didn't help that I felt as if someone were watching me.  
Of course, I hardly paid attention to it. No one could sneak up on me without paying the price for it later.  
I sat up, straightening my back and cracking my knuckles. A smirk made its way onto my muzzle.**

 **I had beaten Infinite at his own game back there, specifically when I broke through those pathetic little chains.  
Although I could not fathom how they had appeared, I was left under the assumption that he could bend reality.  
No big deal.  
None at all.**

 **It wasn't as if I wanted those abilities for myself or anything, oh no. I am not that type of hedgehog.**

 **Alas, my own mind deceives me yet again.**

 _ **It's not the abilities you're after, is it?**_ **  
I almost felt like slapping myself for that. He was nothing more than a putrid little rat that wanted to use me. I was but a mere weapon to him.  
Either that, or I am terrible at reading others and their intentions.  
Most likely both.  
I'm getting sidetracked, I remind myself. I must conjure a reason why the Emerald isn't working, as well as finding an alternative source.**

 **Maybe I can use the emeralds? That should not be all that difficult, considering I have amazing senses when searching chaos energy.**

 **At this, I smile to myself. I'll be stronger than Infinite if I can get my hands on a power source before our next encounter.**

 **It stirs me up just a bit knowing I'm going to see him again.  
** _ **You're itching for a battle,**_ **I remind myself.**

 **I jump up to my feet, making sure to stretch my limbs and back.  
My head turns to give one last glance at the fake Master Emerald. I give a little sneer, lifting myself into the air and hovering closer towards it.  
The impulse to truly solidify what I believe begins to manifest itself, overtaking my senses. Without a second thought, I rise high into the sky, angling myself about 45 degrees from the Emerald.**

 **My right leg extends, memories flashing in my mind.  
I was beaten up by Sonic and Shadow with this type of battle move. The scenes replay in my mind, cutting off, only to rewind and play again.  
This rage, it assists me with my current endeavors.**

 **I let myself focus all my strength on the heel of my shoe, ready to execute my actions in style.**

 **With one swift movement, I hurl myself downwards, headed straight towards the Master Emerald.  
In those ten seconds I made my descent, my feelings and thoughts tangling and weaving with each other.**

 **Losing the fight twice. Almost falling for some silly trick.  
Almost...Falling for…  
That was all it took before I lost focus. The only sound I heard I heard was a deafening shatter.**

 **I was brought back to my senses moments later, fingers tenderly rubbing at my temples.  
I did it. I broke the Master Emerald.  
Every little shard, all the bits and pieces, scattered on the floor. I swept some away with my shoes, pausing and perking my ears up.  
I waited for the inevitable, only it never came.**

 **I looked down, chuckling lightheartedly. The island was still floating.**

 **From that, I could only conclude that I was seeing another illusion.  
I am no more than a powerless fool.**

Tails and the rookie flinched, a thunderous cracking noise emitting from the audio recorder.

The fake Emerald had broken with such speed, the pair couldn't brace themselves for the panic.

Thankfully, Nazo shattered the fake.

Not so thankfully? He scared the living daylights out of those who watched him.  
After a couple of moments, the wolf deeply inhaled, regulating his breathing.

It didn't take long for Tails to follow suit.  
"It's- it's okay!" The words came out in a squeal, the fox clutching his twin tails. "He doesn't know we're here!" Though, even _he_ knew he was only saying that to assuage himself.

The wolf quite literally quaked in his boots. He hugged his arms, pupils slitted with horror.  
Nazo's knowing laugh sent chills down his spine.  
He knew no god, but he repeated a prayer like a mantra in his head.

 _Don't let him come in.  
Don't let him come in.  
Don't let him come in.  
Don't let him come in.  
Don't let him come in._

 __The pair remained frozen for a few moments, continuously scanning the video's feed. Surprisingly, the fake emerald's shards didn't pierce the camera.

They were safe for now, but Nazo's interest was still piqued. He squatted down to pick up a particularly large shard, gently kneading it between his fingers. The piece dissolved right in his hands, turning into sparkling dust tinted red.

His previously neutral expression became sour, fist clenching harshly. He could feel his nails digging through his gloves, poking at his fur.

This was the worst thing to ever happen to him.

 _Okay, maybe that near-death experience is still the winner._

He snorted to himself, standing up and booting various emerald shards away from him.  
Useless. There was no reason to be on the island if it couldn't provide him even a smidgen of what he wanted.

Little did he know that his observers were anxiously awaiting his next move. While his behavior was nothing out of the ordinary to him, he was infamous among the mortals for his truculence.

Above all, hardly anyone was unaware of his unpredictability.

Fortunately for Tails and Gadget, Nazo wasn't as extensive of an intellectual as they may have thought.

He was able to break through Infinite's illusions, and in the process of surmising that Angel Island was also a mirage, but he didn't have enough insight to consider where it came from.

It was under his assumption that only Infinite possessed the ability to bend reality.  
He was so caught up in thinking about his newest opponent that he had forgotten he was a force to be reckoned with. So far, only three people bore witness to his resurrected visage.  
Two of them would've turned back time to never have to see him ever again. One of them wished dearly that he were dead.

Seconds passed, most of which seemed like hours. The entity collected the plethora of information he was granted.

A powerless Master Emerald that broke with ease.  
The same gem, dissipating unrealistically.

Nazo was no fool.  
He knew it was an illusion, but, what was the root cause?

Infinite couldn't have created it, unless he had somehow known Nazo's intentions.

It was impossible for him to have such foresight and create such a deception of this scale at this speed.

This amount of thought was tearing him apart. He _needed_ to know who was responsible for making a mockery of him and his frenzied need for strength. The air made him melt, his blood boiling furiously.

 _I should calm down. They will pay when it is their time._

He softly inhaled, the oncoming sigh droning on. Nazo wanted nothing more than to tear the creator of the illusion apart, but he had better things to do.

Namely, finding some _real_ energy to fight Infinite.

He spared one last glance at the Emerald's broken pieces. That was the last thing he did before jumping into the air, swiftly flying away at a jaw-dropping velocity.

Now, it was the hidden duo's turn to sigh. Tails had begun to sweat and quiver with anxiety, but was now able to breathe. He hadn't even noticed he was holding himself back, as if Nazo was able to hear him.

"...Why is he here?" A voice beside him demanded.

The poor thing, they sounded just as shell shocked as him. They hardly ever spoke unless prompted to due to their deeply baked in meekness.  
Prompting them to speak was difficult unless there was a major event occurring.

Tails stared hard at the ground, palms resting on his knees. "I don't know."  
He couldn't look his companion in the eyes. His current focus was reserved for planning ahead, making assumptions about Nazo's next location. The pair could confidently declare that they were physically unharmed, but certainly couldn't vouch for being aware of their enemy's whereabouts.  
That was the single most important piece of information that they were incapable of providing the rest of the team.

The rookie grit his teeth, fingers twitching with alarm. His thoughts were racing. Tails himself had told them that they were lucky he knew nothing about Nazo, but the scene recorded before him gave him enough of an idea on who he should never cross paths with.  
His newest enemy was an intelligent yet bratty tantrum-throwing demigod. He had seen his fair share of villains with such behavior. It sickened him to his core. There were not only one, but _two_ of them.  
What made this one worse was the fact that he was nonverbal. It didn't take a genius to be able to tell whether or not he was stopping to think. He kept everything in his head, fully aware that someone could be eavesdropping on him.

"We need to get rid of him before it's too late." The wolf growled. His words were nothing new to Tails, instead perceived as an echo of his thoughts. "He could be working with Eggman by now! If that happens, _everything_ will be lost!"  
"I know" The fox retorted dryly. His friend was taken aback by his snappiness.  
"I'm sorry-I need to calm down." He mumbled, running his fingers through his bangs. "I know you don't know the full extend of his abilities-I understand your worry."  
"But, we can't do anything about it unless we tell the others and monitor wherever he is at all times. It's better for us to wait and watch what he does instead of going in blind."  
Gadget, now ruffled by his raging thoughts, gave his best attempt at properly comprehending Tails' reasoning. He took his time to process it, dissect the meaning, and finally allowed himself to regain composure.

"Okay, you're right." He breathed deeply, finally making eye contact.

 _"Let's go find Sonic."_


End file.
